International Football History and Statistics

On this day in football history

• 1984 British clubs achieved their best European results since 1966 when all six clubs reached the semi-finals of their respective competitions. In the U.E.FA Cup Nottingham Forest beat Sturm Graz 2-1 on aggregate with a penalty six minutes from the end of extra time while Tottenham Hotspur's 2-2 draw at FK Austria sent them through 4-2 on aggregate. In the European Cup Liverpool produced a stunning 4-1 victory against Benfica in Lisbon (5-1 on aggregate) and Dundee United's 1-0 win against Rapid Vienna saw them through on the away goals rule. Manchester United, 2-0 down from the first leg, staged an impressive come-back to beat Barcelona 3-0 in front of 58,000 in the Cup Winners Cup while Aberdeen won 3-2 on aggregate after extra time against Ujpest Dozsa thanks to a Mark McGhee hat trick.
• 1991 After nine consecutive League defeats Swansea City parted company with their manager Terry Yorath.
• 1992 When Wolverhampton Wanderers' legend Steve Bull scored in their 2-1 win at Derby County in Division Two it was his 195th goal for them. This meant he surpassed the club's scoring record previously held by John Richards.
• 1999 Tottenham Hotspur returned to European football after an eight year absence by virtue of their Worthington Cup victory over Leicester City. Despite being reduced to ten men in the 63rd minute when Justin Edinburgh was dismissed Spurs grabbed the winner in stoppage time when Allan Nielsen headed in from close range. There were obviously some pre-match problems in the Leicester camp which culminated in City boss Martin O'Neill sending home and transfer-listing Frank Sinclair who arrived an hour late for the hotel team meeting.